Are Islamabad’s Skies Burning Because of Imported Trees?
From pollen warfare to climate disruption—how CDA’s dangerous tree experiments are suffocating the capital. They said it was for “beautification.” They called it “urban innovation.” But what if we told you that a single misguided decision—planting the wrong tree—could alter your weather, your air, your lungs… and maybe your life? By: Ahmad Saghir - Islamabad Islamabad, once hailed as Pakistan’s green crown and a model of natural urban design, is now gasping for breath—both figuratively and literally. In recent years, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has introduced non-native, heat-adaptive trees like date palms into the city’s landscape, deviating from the indigenous flora that evolved naturally with the region’s semi-arid, temperate ecosystem. While visually striking, these trees come with environmental costs that the city is already starting to pay. From Shade to Scorch: Historically, Islamabad’s tree cover—comprising species like Sheesham, Amaltas, Kachnar, and Peepal—helpe...